Vibratory separators are used today to remove solid particulate of a certain size from fluid or other solid particulates of smaller sizes that may be passed through the separator. Various industries use vibratory separators for filtering materials, for example, the oil and gas industry, the food processing industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and the agriculture industry. A vibratory separator is a vibrating sieve-like table upon which a solids laden fluid is deposited and through which clean fluid emerges. Typically, the vibratory separator is a table with a generally perforated filter screen bottom. Fluid is deposited at the feed end of the vibratory separator. As the drilling fluid travels down the length of the vibrating table, the fluid falls through the perforations to a reservoir below, leaving the solid particulate material behind. The vibrating action of the vibratory separator table conveys solid particles left behind to a discharge end of the separator table.
The vibratory shaker includes a screen disposed within a basket of the vibratory separator. The screens themselves may be flat or nearly flat, corrugated, depressed, or contain raised surfaces. Due to the vibration or shaking of the vibratory separator, and the materials processed through the vibratory separator, the screens, as well as other parts, in the separator may wear over time. Therefore, screens are removably secured in the basket so they can be removed for repair or replacement.
The above described apparatus is illustrative of one type of shaker or vibratory separator known to those of ordinary skill in the art.